Borderlands 2: Borderlands 2 Is an Example of Sequels Done Right

Borderlands 2 is the ultimate four-player Role-Playing Shooter loot fest. Combining invention and evolution, Borderlands 2 features characters, skills, environments, enemies, weapons and equipment, which come together to create the most entertaining experience that I have ever played. Borderlands 2 tries to appeal to fans of first-person shooters, lootfests, and RPGs alike. The original focused more on shooting and looting, then anything else.

Its story was clearly an afterthought, and the RPG element was unimpressive. Borderlands 2 thrives where the original failed. The story, this time around is very entertaining. I find myself plotting the different ways I will kill Handsome Jack, the games antagonist. For reasons spoiler related, I will stop talking about the story.

Side-quests are as strange as in the original. The missions are far more diverse, for example in one mission I’m hunting down Bonerfarts and in another I’m helping a Hyperion Robot become Human. Diversity is what the original did not have. The environment was the same, the enemies were the same, and the missions (as I said earlier) were repetitive. The one thing that the original did do better than the second was with the guns. The guns are still awesome, just not as awesome.

Borderlands’ graphics were mediocre. Borderlands 2 is less cartoony, but looks nicer. The world is quite beautiful, at some points. Sometimes, though the vending machines look blurry and horrible.

The Bandit Technical is a welcome addition. It comes in two variations, the spike shooter, and the explosive barrel thrower. Although I do like the addition of another vehicle, I wish their were more than 2 car classes. While I’m talking about cars, I should mention that you can actually feel the world that you are driving on, instead of in the original where it felt like you were driving on a perfectly paved road.

The new Badass Rank system is a nice addition. There is a set of challenges that can be completed. For every challenge completed you get a +%0.5 to +%1.0 bonus on any of the certain skills provided. There is no end to how many times you can do these challenges, so you can get +%1000 Critical Hit Damage, if you work hard enough.

Another new feature is Character, and Vehicle Customization. The Customization is pretty bare-bones, though. The only things you can customize are appearances, and you have to find skins that you can wear, but never actually see.

Borderlands 2 is a much more complete adventure in Pandora. If you’ve been wanting to come back to the Borderlands Universe, and can’t find a reason to, Borderlands 2 gives you a very good reason.